Sunseeker Duo Makes Maiden Test Glide

Eric and Irena Raymond have been crafting their Sunseeker Duo for the last five years, and finally have an airworthy craft, as shown in the video during its maiden flight near Voghera, Italy – new home to the Raymonds.

Finishing construction of the world’s first two-seat solar-powered airplane in time for Friedrichshafen’s Aero Expo in April, the pair were honored with pride of place at the international showcase. “This week we brought the Sunseeker Duo to AERO Friedrichshafen for its public unveiling. The airplane is fresh out of the paint shop, and since it is too large to fully assemble in the Slovenian workshop, it is also the first time that we got to see the airplane in its full glory!”

Eric and Irena Raymond obviously happy with their first look at their fully-completed creation

Sunseeker Duo is a 22-meter (72 feet) solar-powered aircraft that weighs a mere 280 kilograms (616 pounds) empty, no more than a typical light sport aircraft. This is a major accomplishment in itself, and the Duo seems to be very stable on tow, even in a light crosswind. We can hardly wait to see more videos as the couple approach the first powered flights with Duo’s 20 kilowatt (26.8 horsepower) motor taking the craft aloft on sunshine.